Compare the2023 Honda CR-VVS 2023 Lexus NX

Both the CR-V and the NX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the CR-V for 1 year and 14,000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the NX (2/24,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 4 times as many Honda dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CR-V’s warranty.

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V gets better mileage than the NX running its gasoline engine:

Both the CR-V and the NX have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All CR-Vs have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. The NX 350h/450h+ doesn’t offer a way to disable start/stop.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda CR-V uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The NX 350 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The CR-V has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The NX doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The CR-V stops shorter than the NX:

The CR-V has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the NX; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

The CR-V EX-L AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the NX 450h AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CR-V EX-L AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the NX 450h AWD (28 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CR-V’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the NX’s (37.3 feet vs. 38 feet).

The front grille of the CR-V uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The NX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The CR-V uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The NX doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The CR-V has .3 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, 4.3 inches more rear legroom and 1.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the NX.

The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the NX with its rear seat up (39.3 vs. 22.7 cubic feet). The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the NX with its rear seat folded (76.5 vs. 46.9 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CR-V easier. The CR-V’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26 inches, while the NX’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

The CR-V’s cargo area is larger than the NX’s in almost every dimension:

The CR-V’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the NX’s (1500 vs. 0 pounds).

The CR-V’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The NX’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the CR-V’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the NX’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The NX has never been chosen.

The Honda CR-V outsold the Lexus NX by almost five to one during 2022.